This is part of a series of scouting reports on the undrafted free agents the Pittsburgh Steelers signed following the 2025 NFL Draft. We’ll look at recently signed DL Blake Mangelson.
NO. 93 BLAKE MANGELSON, DL, BYU (SENIOR) – 6050, 279 POUNDS
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Blake Mangelson 6050, 279 9 5/8 33 79 3/4
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
5.04 1.70 4.58 7.56
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
9’3″ 29.5 22
Pro Day Results
THE GOOD
— Has good length and height for the position
— Does a good job of using his length to set the point of attack against the run
— Can set the edge and fight to keep outside contain
— Fights to keep his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage to keep outside leg and arm free
— Shows good pursuit of the ball carrier
— Can long arm blockers back into the lap of the quarterback
— Effective on twists and stunts upfront with other defensive linemen
— Uses long arms to get hands up in passing lanes
THE BAD
— Needs to add more weight to his frame to hold up at the next level
— Lacks ideal play strength to win with power consistently
— Pops upright out of his stance, which makes him easy to block
— Overall below-average athlete when it comes ot speed and explosiveness
— Isn’t exceptionally quick in space, and when changing directions
— More of a run stuffer than a pass rusher
— Needs to continue developing a go-to pass rush move outside of his bull rush
— Only has 2.5 sacks in four collegiate seasons
BIO
— Senior prospect from Nephi, UT
— Family Life major
— Wrestled at Juad High School and taught kids how to cartwheel during the team banquet
— Recorded 159 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and 22.5 sacks at Juab High School
— All-state football star and state heavyweight wrestling champion in high school
— Was nicknamed “The Mangler” at BYU by a radio analyst
— Zero-star recruit according to Rivals, accepted a preferred walk-on to BYU
— Played in seven games as a reserve in 2021 and had five total tackles and two tackles for loss
— Played in nine games as a reserve in 2022 and had 13 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one pass deflection
— Played in 12 games in 2023 and had 27 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and half a sack, along with two pass deflections
— Started 13 games in 2024 and had 37 total tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery
— All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (2024), Academic All-Big 12 First Team (2023)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
BYU DL Blake Mangelson signed with the Steelers as a UDFA after the 2025 NFL Draft concluded, giving them another young, big body to bring into their defensive line room along with fellow draft picks Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black. Mangelson lacks the ideal size that both Black and Harmon possess, weighing just 279 pounds. However, standing 6050 with 33-inch arms, he possesses the frame that Pittsburgh finds attractive in their base 3-4 defensive ends, thus giving him the nod to be brought in for training camp.
When you pop in the tape on Mangelson, you see a long, rugged defender who plays his best football against the run. He sets the edge well at the point of attack and keeps his outside leg and arm free to prevent ball carriers from getting to the edge. Watch this rep below against SMU where Mangelson fights through a block attempt to keep the runner from getting to the corner, diving to take out the runner’s legs as the rest of the defense rallies to hold him to a minimal gain.
He will get his hands on blockers and stack and shed them, like in this clip below against UCF. He gets his hands inside the left tackle’s shoulder pads and then manages to rip off and get in on the tackle attempt near the line of scrimmage.
Mangelson isn’t the best athlete when it comes to speed or twitch along the defensive line, but he plays with a motor that always runs hot, as he shows great effort in pursuit of the ball carrier.
Check out the clips below of Mangelson tacking down ball carriers in the open field. The first clip shows him running down a receiver on a screen pass nearly 15 yards down the field. The second clip shows Mangelson flowing down the line of scrimmage to make the tackle on RB R.J. Harvey for a short loss on the play.
As a pass rusher, Mangelson’s go-to move is his power bull rush, which usually results in him using a long arm or a straight bull in an attempt to use his length to walk back blockers into the pocket. Watch this rep below of Mangelson jolting back the right guard on the snap of the ball, getting his hands up in the air, but finishing at the quarterback for the sack.
Speaking of getting his hands up in passing lanes, Mangelson uses his height and length to impact the pass when he doesn’t get home to the quarterback. He had four pass deflections in the past three seasons and snagged this interception on a tipped pass this past season against Baylor, securing the takeaway for BYU’s defense.
When it comes to weaknesses with Mangelson, his weight and functional play strength stick out as the key aspects he needs to work on. He can easily get stood up on his rush as well as a run defender, decreasing his effectiveness at pushing the pocket and his ability to fight off blocks to make tackles on ball carriers. Watch the clip below of Mangelson popping up quickly after the snap, losing his leverage, and getting pushed out of the play.
CONCLUSION
Blake Mangelson is an intriguing case study as someone who would have what Pittsburgh is looking for at the position if you added another 15-20 pounds to his long, tall frame. He needs to improve his play strength and leverage as well to become a contributor at the NFL level, and his upside is capped due to limited pass-rush upside.
Still, Mangelson has the play demeanor and measurables that Pittsburgh desires in their base defensive ends. He will have a chance to earn a practice squad spot during training camp, where he can continue to refine his game.
Games Watched: at UCF (2024), at SMU (2024), at Baylor (2024)
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